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Gala raises money to ease burden of cancer patients, families

By Alana Melanson, amelanson@lowellsun.com

Updated:
04/23/2017 08:33:05 AM EDT

Linda Hair-Sullivan of Lowell, right, and her sister Patricia Hair of Lexington, with some of the gift baskets to be raffled at the Whistler House for the Virginia Thurston Healing Garden s Madonna Fund, which supports families dealing with cancer.
SUN/JULIA MALAKIE

LOWELL -- When Linda Hair-Sullivan was recuperating from breast cancer in 2014, she found peace and creative inspiration at the Virginia Thurston Healing Garden, a support center in Harvard.

Hair-Sullivan, a retired Tewksbury English teacher and guidance counselor, 66, of Lowell, was most touched by the stories of the younger women battling the disease.

As an older patient, she was fortunate to beat the cancer with only radiation. Many of her younger counterparts hard more virulent, aggressive forms of the disease that required much more intensive treatment.

"I noticed in the support groups that the younger women seemed to have a harder struggle," Hair-Sullivan said. "They have children, they have jobs and they're often on their own."

On Thursday, the Whistler House Museum of Art will host the Lighting the Path Gala fundraiser to support the Madonna Fund, established by Hair-Sullivan in 2015 to support these women and their children.

"I am deeply grateful for this initiative," Healing Garden Executive Director Margaret Koch said in a statement. "It is and will be tremendously helpful to our clients in need."

The Madonna Fund is named for the Italian title for Mary, mother of Jesus, in the Christian faith. Money raised supports parents, caregivers and families affected by cancer through childcare and other enrichment programs.

The fund has supported these families by sending children to theater camp and providing YMCA memberships for kids, as well as funding cancer-related personal-care items that can be difficult for some to afford.

For others, it's childcare to give parents and grandparents breaks they need to recuperate, especially when they don't have family or partners who can help.

A rarely discussed side effect of cancer is a 30 percent divorce rate, Hair-Sullivan said.

"If your marriage or relationship is struggling, this doesn't help it," she said.

When Hair-Sullivan approached the Whistler House as a venue for the gala, President and Executive Director Sara Bogosian immediately agreed to sponsor the event.

Bogosian had breast cancer 15 years ago, and was among the first group of women to attend the Healing Garden. It was initially created to help women with breast cancer, but has since to provide services to men and women battling any cancer.

"It helped me get through a somewhat difficult time in my life, and I met other wonderful women that were going through the same thing at the same time," Bogosian said. "It's a wonderful haven."

In addition to support groups, the Healing Garden provides a number of enrichment opportunities for people with cancer, including art and horticultural therapy, meditation and mindfulness, exercise and movement.

Hair-Sullivan worked in Tewksbury schools for 35 years until she retired in 2007. She has been a Kripalu yoga instructor since 1994, teaching through Chelmsford's Community Education program and at Dancenergy, also in Chelmsford.

She began supporting the Madonna Fund through donation classes before partnering with a group of friends and yoga students for organized fundraising.

The Lighting the Path Gala will be held Thursday 6-9 p.m. at the Whistler House Museum of Art, 243 Worthen St.

The event includes hors d'oeuvres, a wine tasting by Westford's Aeronap Cellars, jazz music by singer Connie Diamond and pianist Frank Wilkins, a silent auction and raffles. A signature cocktail, called "Fresh Hope," will also be unveiled.

Event tickets are $60 per person and are available online and at the door.

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